"THAT WAS YOU?" Claudia asked Remus after he had told the story of how they had first met.

She felt bad for not really remembering it that much, and especially for not remembering that it was him she had met on that platform, but she had her reasons.

And, in all honesty, their first meeting probably had been more important to Remus than it had been to Claudia. He had, after all, made his first friend in the form of Peter thanks to her. Maybe even Claudia could count as his first friend.

Remus felt embarrassed to know that he had never forgotten about the girl who had made his first day at Hogwarts a little less terrifying. Ever since they met, Remus had taken notice of Claudia from afar.

He had continued to find her ever so interesting, the way she was always happier and more confident than everyone else. She was a lot like James in that way, one could suppose, but there was a certain spark in Claudia Maple that no one else possessed.

Remus liked that spark. He liked it a lot. So, he spent his first four years at the school taking notice of her.

He wouldn't have dared to confess it at the time, but Remus had always had a crush on Claudia. It was something that he couldn't control.

And, when Claudia returned her second year, Remus noticed immediately that something was off.

She was rarely in the Great Hall, and if she was she would have her nose stuck in a book, eating only pancakes. She would not even attend class some days, and the spark had disappeared for the most part.

She was there, but she wasn't really there.

If one would speak to Claudia, she would be kind, gentle, and as encouraging and funny as she always had been - however, something had gone missing the day her mum died.

Time went by and Remus kept her in the back of his his mind. It was impossible not to. And, when Peter mentioned her one night during dinner, and he caught her stealing that book, Remus suddenly felt as if he could help bring her old spark back.

It was only recently that Remus had realised that maybe there had always been something there.

There had been two versions of Claudia Maple, and maybe Remus Lupin had fell in love with both.

"Yeah, it was me," Remus said, bringing her closer to him as they sat on the coach in front of the fireplace.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Claudia asked softly, running her fingers through his hair. "I feel bad for not really remembering it that well."

"It's fine," said Remus. "It wasn't exactly special or anything-"

"But it was special," Claudia interrupted. "But, uh, ever since my mum died I sometimes struggle remembering things."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know," Claudia shrugged. "Maybe it's just my brains way of rewiring or something. Its way of coping."

"Oh," Remus breathed. "So you don't remember it at all?"

"No, I do remember it a bit," said Claudia. "But it feels more like I've dreamt it or something instead of actually lived it. But I remember saying goodbye to mum, and I remember meeting you. I actually even remember thinking that you were the cutest boy I had ever seen."

"And I thought you were the prettiest girl I had ever seen," said Remus quietly. "Though, I still think so."

"And I still think you're the cutest boy there is," Claudia smiled.

"You know, it's a bit embarrassing but..."

"But?"

"I always had my eye on you after that," Remus confessed nervously. "I think I've always had a slight...crush, or whatever, on you."

Claudia's smiled widened at that, "I think I'd have had a crush on you too if my mind didn't go completely ballistic."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I lost myself completely after mum. It was like a part of me disappeared. I barely payed attention to anything. Not even handsome boys like yourself."

Remus chuckled slight at the mention of him being handsome, but then his brain brought him back to the girl who he had seen fall apart as McGonagall told her that her aunt had died.

The girl who was completely hollow.

"I think I noticed that. You kind of disappeared, I guess. Like, you were there but something was missing."

"Yeah," Claudia said, staring into the fire as Remus took her hand. "I pretty much spent all my time ever since my mum's death up until getting to know you reading books and eating pancakes. I mean, I still had my friends but I couldn't seem to find myself. So I read like crazy. I needed an escape, you know."

"And now?"

"Now I don't need an escape," she said, looking up into his warm eyes. "I've got my own twisted little fairytale. I don't like to say that you saved me, Remus. But I think you did in some ways."

"I think that was all you."

"You made everything better, though. I finally get to see colour again. I finally feel as if life's worth living. You know, I feel so at home with you. So warm."

"I feel the same," said Remus before giving her a soft kiss on her forehead. "I don't think I can go three whole weeks without you."

I shouldn't have said that, Remus thought after making the mention of the Christmas holidays.

Claudia immediately went quiet at the mention of it, though it was not due to the reason Remus assumed. He thought that Claudia was sad because she was going back to the manor, but in reality she was quiet because she had forgotten to mention one tiny little detail.

She was not going back to the manor for Christmas.

"I actually forgot to tell you something," Claudia said after a few moments of nervous silence.

"What?"

"I'm not going back."

"What did you say?" Remus asked, though he had clearly heard since a small smile of relief started building up on his face.

"I'm not going back to the manor," she repeated. "My grandmother owled me the other day. She told me that I should stay at Hogwarts. Or, actually, she said that I have to stay at Hogwarts."

"Why?" Remus asked curiously, "Not that it isn't a good thing. It's great news."

"It is great news," said Claudia. "But the reason is most certainly not great."

"What do you mean?" Remus asked concernedly, propping himself up in his seat.

"There's more than one reason to why I'm not going back. I don't know which one you'll be more glad to hear."

"Don't think about that, just tell me."

"Well, I'm not going back because I don't need to find a suitor," she explained. "My, uhm...family already wants me to marry Evan."

"Rosier?" Remus asked as he felt the need to vomit.

It wasn't that he felt a single drop of jealousy inside of him, but the thought of his girl having to marry the world's biggest prick had him feeling like complete shit.

"Rosier," she nodded. "I should've told you earlier-"

"It's fine," Remus interrupted, his eyes showing nothing but comfort. "You won't marry him. Trust me."

"I don't want to," she said sadly. "So I sure hope I won't."

It was a weird thing to talk of future marriage arrangements with another boy with your boyfriend, but for some reason it wasn't surprising for neither that they were having that conversion - though they both absolutely hated it.

"And then there's the other thing," she said. "I get it if you absolutely hate me after this-"

"I won't."

"You know about the war?" She asked, receiving a nod in response. "My family is...very much involved."

"What do you mean?"

"They're death eaters," she whispered.

Claudia couldn't help but to notice the disgusted look on Remus' face. But it wasn't aimed at her; so she had to continue.

"That's why I'm not going back. They have other plans than stupid balls."

"What kind of plans?" Remus asked nervously.

"I don't know what exactly," she replied. "But it's not good."

•••

A few days had passed since Claudia and Remus' date, and the students of Hogwarts were soon to go back home for Christmas.

That was of course with the exception of Claudia, who was set to stay at the school all alone.

Though, the thought of spending Christmas all alone definitely didn't faze the girl at all, because she was at least happy to not be spending it on a cold marble floor covered in blood.

And, she got to have her own little taste of Christmas Eve that night, something that she was very excited for as she got ready and put on her dress for Slughorn's Christmas party.

Claudia was wearing a pretty baby blue satin dress that went down to her ankles. It had a slit on the side, and the material was soft and comfortable.

She felt pretty. With her curled hair and slightly heeled shoes, she felt prettier than she had felt all those times that she had been covered in makeup and fabric during all of the pureblooded balls she had attended.

She and Betty, who was also getting ready for the occasion, were both met by the surprising sound of a knock on the door.

"Come in," they both said at the same time.

"Hey," said Henry as he entered the room, taking in their appearances. "Don't you ladies look lovely!"

Betty smiled sheepishly in her pink dress as Claudia thanked him.

"There's a Gryffindor out there trying to get inside," Henry then said with a chuckle. "You might wanna check that out, Claudia."

"Is it Remus?"

"No, it's not Lupin. It's Potter."

"James?" She asked. "What is he doing here?"

"No idea," Henry chuckled. "But he's probably here for you."

Claudia headed down the stairs and found James right outside the entrance of the tower, dressed in a suit and impatiently pacing back and forth out of pure boredom.

"Hey, Jamie," Claudia said.

"Oh, hi," the boy replied, stopping his pacing and following her inside the Ravenclaw common room. "Oh, this place is nice!"

"I guess it is," Claudia smiled, sitting down and patting the spot next to her in the sofa. "Is anything specific on your mind?"

"Actually, yes," James responded as he sat down. "But first I have to say you look completely gorgeous, Claude. Moony's gonna be struggling to keep his cool, if you know what I mean."

"Thank you," Claudia said with a small laugh, thinking about what Remus looked like in his suit. "So, what was it you came here for?"

"A little birdie, also known as Moony, told me that you're staying here for Christmas."

"Sure am-"

"And that is completely absurd!" James scoffed. "Moony thinks so too, of course, but he clearly needs some help convincing you."

"Convincing me of what?"

"To come with us of bloody course!" James exclaimed. "I refuse to accept you spending Christmas all alone in this castle!"

"I won't be all alone," said Claudia assuringly.

"Yeah?"

"Yes. I've got...Peeves."

"Peeves?"

"Peeves," Claudia nodded.

"He hates you-"

"He does not!" Claudia scoffed. "He just hates my father! Which, may I remind you, isn't exactly a rare thing!"

James rolled his eyes, "Claudia, I want you to come with me. I want you to stay with me and my family for the holidays."

"Absolutely not!"

"Why not?" James asked, "We would love to have you!"

"Have you asked your parents?"

"Yes," James lied.

He hadn't yet, but he would soon.

"Did they say yes?"

"Yes."

They hadn't, but they soon would.

"Come on, it'll be perfect! You'll spend some time with me and Sirius and then Remus and his parents will come and you can meet everyone! And Peter will come too! Come on, Claudia!"

"No."

"Please!"

"No."

"Oh, come on!"

"No."

James sighed audibly, leaning his head back and groaning slightly, "Look, please just take this into consideration-"

"No."

"One day...one day I'm going to get you out of that shitty place. I promise you that. One day I'll get your stubborn arse out of that manor. And my parents are going to take you in and we're all going to be one big happy family. Me, my parents, you and Sirius. And then I'll marry Lily and have a bunch of perfect babies with her and you'll marry Remus and travel the world."

"James..."

"But, until then I'm going to make sure you have the best Christmas of your life," he said with a faint smile. "A real Potter Christmas. The full experience."

"I couldn't possibly come with you, James," Claudia said. "It would a stupid idea."

"Why?"

"Someone would find out," she said. "They always do."

"No, they won't."

"How am I supposed to even get there?"

"Easy, invisibility cloak. And we'll stay inside all the time. And if we don't you can drink polyjuice or something. Come on!"

"I don't know."

"You're my sister, Claudia," said James. "We're siblings. I decided that a long time ago. And siblings are family. And family should spend Christmas together."

"I..."

"Please," James said with a small pout.

"I...I'll think about it."

__________________________________

a/n: besties this story has way too many plotholes and unexplained things it's becoming a problem!!! my apologies if stuff doesn't make sense ;)